Defeating the Enemy with One Punch, the Difference in Realms

Qi Feng suddenly took the initiative, taking a step forward and drawing his long sword. The sword energy spread like wildfire, sweeping across all directions, attempting to force back the most threatening people around him.

You dare!

Xie Lintian shouted sharply, drew his longsword, and the azure sword energy surged three feet. He struck first despite being behind, and the tip of his sword went straight for Qi Feng's back. This sword was so fast and ruthless that Qi Feng had no choice but to turn to the side to block.

Swords clashed, sparks flew, and Qi Feng was forced back half a step. Xie Lintian used the force to lunge forward, reaching out with his left hand to grab Peng Yu.

Qi Feng snorted coldly, his longsword flipped, and the sword's momentum suddenly became violent and fierce, like a thunderclap.

Thunderfire Tower's swordsmanship was known for its fierce and powerful style. At this moment, Qi Feng was using all his strength, which forced Xie Lintian to turn around and defend.

Chu Mu also reached out to grab it, but he was more interested in the fragments beside him than the roc feather!

However, in an instant, Qi Feng and Xie Lintian briefly stopped fighting, pointing their swords at Chu Mu, resolutely not giving him a chance to take advantage of the situation.

Chu Mu held his sword horizontally in front of him, sighing inwardly.

This exploration of the cave has finally come to this point, and a chaotic battle is inevitable.

Soon, everyone joined the battle. The Xie Household had the advantage in numbers, and even though Thunderfire Tower and Gold-Wielding Guard joined forces, they were still at a disadvantage.

The Xie Household warriors also joined the battle. With their Swordsmanship originating from the same source, they cooperated seamlessly with Xie Lintian. Xie Lintian quickly suppressed the combined attack of Chu Mu and Qi Feng, forcing the two back one after another, and they were only one step away from Peng Yu!

Just as he was about to succeed, he seemed to see a huge, Earth Surge towards him!

A ray of sword light cleaved through the waves, cutting across the great river, and also blocked Xie Lintian's hand that was grabbing Peng Yu.

"The He Household's son-in-law also wants to compete?" Xie Lintian's gaze swept coldly over Lin Yueheng. "Don't make a fool of yourself. The difference between seventeen and tenth isn't just seven rankings."

"[One Sword Across the River] Lin Yueheng?"

Qi Feng finally learned the man's identity.

He had sensed from the beginning that this guy was hiding something!

Lin Yueheng stood holding his sword, smiling slightly, and said, "Actually, I've always felt that the ranking on the Dragon and Tiger Ranking List isn't very accurate. I believe that the Dragon and Tiger Ranking should exclude those who haven't even found their own path yet, but are already impatient to break through to Divine Ability powers."

Xie Lintian's facial muscles twitched, and he said in a cold voice, "You're courting death!"

"You can try." Lin Yueheng loudly, his Sword Intent flowing like a great river, surging endlessly and growing ever more mighty!

"Young Hero Guo, how about we join forces, each taking one of these two items: a Peng Feather and a Fragment of the Investiture of the Gods?"

An Ruyu's soft, sweet voice reached his ears. Yu Tunzhou watched the battle unfold, not in a hurry to join the fray, and transmitted his voice, "If you choose to reveal your identity, Luo Nanwu of the Luo Household will not openly join forces with the Incense-Smelling Demoness."

The demoness's suggestion also piqued his interest.

Surrounded by martial artists from various factions, and especially with An Ruyu lurking in the shadows, no one could possibly seize all of the Human Emperor's legacy.

Unfortunately, even though he was using the Luo Household's identity, he still had to consider the Luo Household's position. Luo Household artists joined forces with the enchantress of the Incense-Smelling Cult, it would only give the Luo Household a handle to use against them.

"Then let's fight our own battles, and each of us will take one in the end. How about I take Xie Lintian?"

"No need, I've already assessed Xie Lintian's strength quite thoroughly."

Yu Tunzhou refused outright, thinking to himself that he had spent so much time figuring out Xie Lintian's strength, and now was the time to reap the rewards.

"Then I shall deal with the Gold-Wielding Guard."

Yu Tunzhou suddenly asked, "What realm are you in now?"

"I am still in the Form Refinement Perfection, but Young Hero Guo has already caught up with me," An Ruyu said with a smile.

"Without using your External Scenery Divine Ability, how many moves do you need to deal with Xie Lintian?" Yu Tunzhou asked in a deep voice.

An Ruyu did not answer the question directly, but instead said meaningfully, "Young Hero Guo hasn't sensed the location of the Dao Embryo yet, has he? Martial artists like us, once we reach the Form Refinement Perfection, are not in any hurry to break through to the Divine Ability Realm. The Dao Embryo of the Divine Ability Realm is the beginning of the Great Dao."

"For a thousand years, Martial Dao have been progressing, and those who pioneer it are every martial artist who aspires to the Great Way."

"The key between the Form Refinement Perfection and the Dao Embryo lies in the word 'expansion.' When Young Hero Guo senses the location of the Dao Embryo in the future, he will understand what I mean today."

Yu Tunzhou nodded slowly, stretched his body slightly, and had already seen through the entire situation.

Currently, all sides are engaged in battle, but the real key battlefield lies with Xie Lintian, Qi Feng, Chu Mu, and Lin Yueheng.

Leaving aside Chu Mu, Lin Yueheng, as the representative of the He Household, wouldn't attack him immediately, so----

First deal with Xie Lintian to intimidate Qi Feng, then seize Peng Yu!

"Um?!"

Just then, Xie Lintian suddenly turned around and saw that "Luo Nanwu" was still standing in the same place, without moving an inch.

However, in Xie Lintian's perception of energy, for some reason, his figure and his Fist Intent were all around him!

That Fist Intent seemed to have dispersed into the Void, omnipresent yet untraceable!

Soon, Qi Feng and the others also sensed this strange phenomenon. In their perception of their aura, Luo Nanwu was like a galaxy reflected in a pool of water, seemingly close at hand, but if they reached out to touch him, he would scatter into ripples, making it impossible to grasp even a trace of him.

Lin Yueheng looked intently at Luo Nanwu.

This Fist Intent reminded him of a "former acquaintance" he hadn't known for very long!

At this very moment.

Yu Tunzhou's eyes were calm and his mind was steady; he had already adjusted himself to his peak condition.

And the Fist Intent that seemed to spread into the surrounding Void was so magnificent and powerful that it made Xie Lintian change color!

After exchanging a hundred blows, he thought he had witnessed Luo Nanwu's limit, but he did not expect that the power of that Fist Intent was far from his limit!

"One punch."

Yu Tunzhou slowly raised a finger to Xie Lintian, his expression as calm as still water.

The crowd couldn't help but cast puzzled glances at them.

Xie Lintian, who vaguely sensed the surrounding Fist Intent locking him in, instantly turned ashen-faced, and the veins on his hand gripping the longsword bulged.

Where does this guy get the audacity to boast that he can finish me off with one punch?!

"Arrogant!"

Xie Lintian roared, his aura suddenly surged, and he fully activated the [Seven-Aperture Spirit Rhinoceros Luminous Body], his sword energy surged, and the principles of law followed him.

"I'll see if you can withstand this sword strike!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his sword momentum reached its peak, and he was about to use the External Scenery technique that had been stopped earlier because of Qi Feng and others' arrival. But at this moment, a thunderclap exploded in his ears, his mind went blank for a moment, and the laws that had been gathered around him were forcibly cut off!

The Yu Tunzhou in one step.

This movement was like a mountain collapsing and a river turning upside down! The Fist Intent that had been scattered into the Void suddenly gathered together, converging from all directions like ten thousand rivers flowing into the sea, all rushing towards Xie Lintian, making him feel like he was "breathless"!

Xie Lintian's pupils contracted sharply; he sensed the presence of death.

He had only experienced this feeling once during the two years he spent training in the martial arts world.

That time, he accidentally stumbled into the aftermath of a battle between two powerful External Scenery. Faced with the overwhelming power of the heavens and earth that affected an area of dozens of miles, the hair on his body stood on end, his blood seemed to freeze, and he even forgot to breathe—just like now.

Xie Lintian roared inwardly, straining to raise his sword, but it was too late to gather the principles of law and unleash his External Scenery techniques.

But it's not that there's no chance!

Because the "Yu Tunzhou" move wasn't External Scenery move!

Without the involvement of legal principles, it's just Chain Forming Martial Arts!

He was still able to use his [Seven-Aperture Spirit Rhinoceros Luminous Body] to see through the flaws in Yu Tunzhou's punch, just like before, anticipating the enemy's moves and seizing the initiative!

Xie Lintian's gaze suddenly sharpened.

The flaw is here!

He raised his longsword, thrusting it straight at a certain spot in front of him—the "void" where the Fist Intent pressing in from all directions converged. From there—

The Yu Tunzhou and threw a punch.

The fist strikes as if the mind were in motion, traversing the vast emptiness, leaving no trace, yet penetrating everywhere.

Since An Ruyu hadn't directly answered his question, nor had she refuted it, Yu Tunzhou assumed that An Ruyu could really do it.

Therefore, in this battle, Yu Tunzhou did not intend to use Divine Ability to determine the winner.

If it were a contest of Divine Ability, Xie Lintian would die from a single move, the "Swallow the Sun and Refine the Moon" technique, no matter how many External Scenery techniques he used.

This punch is [Mind Wanders the Heavenly River]!

It is a style of boxing that he has honed through countless trials, making it the most suitable for him in terms of both Fist Intent, form, and posture.

The next moment, Xie Lintian looked stunned.

His [Seven-Aperture Spirit Rhinoceros Luminous Body] can reach a level of near- Pure Land, allowing him to see through others' weaknesses, anticipate the enemy's moves, and strike first even after being attacked later.

But at this moment, what his Luminous Body sensed was not a flaw, but a vast expanse—a vast Fist Intent like an inverted Tianhe, like a flowing galaxy, omnipresent and all-pervasive.

The point the sword tip pointed at was not the flaw he had just seen, but the place where his Fist Intent was unified, and also the strongest point!

He looked at "Luo Nanwu," whose expression remained calm, as if his every move was within the other's expectations.

Is this also part of your plan?

But what can possibly hide from one's own [Seven-Aperture Spirit Rhinoceros Luminous Body]?

Only----

A truly Pure Land.

Xie Lintian finally understood one thing.

There is indeed a difference in their Yu Tunzhou.

The difference is not between the Form Refinement and Divine Ability, but between Nature Cultivation.

The fist arrives.

Xie Lintian was still not giving up. He tried his best to raise his sword to block, and the sword energy surged up, but it was like a candle in the wind, flickering and uncertain in the face of the Fist Intent.

His [Seven-Aperture Spirit Rhinoceros Luminous Body] was operating frantically, trying to find a sliver of room to maneuver, but this punch was like a net from heaven and earth, or a mighty river, impossible to avoid or block.

"Boom--!"

The moment their fists clashed, Xie Lintian felt an overwhelming force emanating from the sword.

The longsword flew out of his hand on the spot, tumbling in mid-air and drawing a shrill arc before finally embedding itself in a pillar of the main hall with a clang. The blade continued to tremble and emit a low buzzing sound.

Xie Lintian himself retreated seven steps. When he reached the seventh step, he could no longer maintain his balance, knelt on one knee, spat out a mouthful of blood, his face was as pale as paper, and his internal organs had suffered considerable injuries.

The hall was deathly silent.

Qi Feng and the others stopped what they were doing, and the light fell in unison on the figure kneeling on one knee, and then on the figure still standing in the same place.

Is this the meaning of "one punch"?

Lin Yueheng, his eyes gleaming with a strange light. It really was that person!

This person has truly forged their own path!

Everyone stopped, but Yu Tunzhou did not. With the momentum of severely Xie Lintian with a punch, his aura was high. As he moved forward, no one dared to reach out and stop him. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he reached out and grabbed the Peng feather.

At that moment, the blade's energy, like raging fire and accompanied by wind and thunder, slashed down from the side.

"You'll take my blade too!" Qi Feng said in a deep voice. "I will not let you take it so easily!"

At the same time, Lin Yueheng also drew his sword, the sword light flowing endlessly and boundlessly.

This sword strike is imbued with the grandeur of a mighty Jiangdong flowing eastward to the sea.

Wherever the Sword Intent passed, the air seemed to transform into a river, layer upon layer, stretching endlessly.

"Brother Luo, this is the self-created sword style that I mentioned to you last time, [One Sword Across the River]!" Lin Yueheng, already recognizing that Yu Tunzhou's sword was not aimed at Yu Tunzhou, but rather at the heavens and earth around him.

As the Sword Intent filled the air, Yu Tunzhou felt as if he were standing in the middle of a great river, surrounded by surging waters on all sides, with nowhere to stand or find leverage, his body swaying precariously.

The next moment, Yu Tunzhou's figure seemed to sink steadily to the bottom, like Ten-Thousand-Ren High Mountain rising from the ground. Even if someone from the Coming Dragon River traveled eight thousand miles, came to visit, they could only detour around the foot of the mountain!

He turned around and shattered Qi Feng's sword aura with a single punch.

"It is impolite not to reciprocate!"

He let out a long roar, still using the [Mind Wanders the Heavenly River] technique, his Fist Intent flowing freely, attacking Qi Feng and Lin Yueheng simultaneously, forcing them back a step. He then safely withdrew from the crowd and stood in front of the Luo Household members.

With a quick glance, Yu Tunzhou saw Chu Mu struggling in the distance.

"Gentlemen, I will only take the Peng feather; the other fragment is for you to fight over."

His gaze swept over the fragment, a hint of doubt in his mind. However, the fragment in his Dantian showed no reaction to it.

If this fragment is indeed a fragment of the Investiture of the Gods, then what is in his Dantian?

"Let's go."

Upon receiving the Peng Feather and sensing the "message" contained within it, Yu Tunzhou was shaken and lost all desire to linger.

"Don't leave!" Xie Lintian suddenly roared. He had already picked up his longsword again, Movement Method, as if thousands of sword shadows were swirling around him. "Stay here!"

[Heavenly Evolution Stabilizes the Void]!

This is the final move of the [Spirit Rhinoceros Illuminating the Void Sword], and also its strongest killing move. The founder of this Swordsmanship once used this move to evolve into the [Heavenly Evolution Illuminates the Void Realm], and killed a Grandmaster at the peak of the Peak External Scenery with a single sword strike!

After mastering the first move, Xie Lintian devoted himself to comprehending this sword technique, hoping to use it to forge his Inner Heaven and Earth in the future.

Although Xie Lintian failed to evolve the [Heavenly Evolution Illuminates the Void Realm], the myriad sword shadows still illuminated all the illusions and realities in the world, sealing off all paths of survival, leaving no way to avoid or escape!

He wants to reshape the outcome with his External Scenery fighting style!

Yu Tunzhou suddenly turned around and threw a punch.

Luo Household External Scenery Technique: [One Fist to Secure the Frontier]!

A powerful, profound, and unwavering Fist Intent, emphasizing stability and security, erupted from the fist.

This punch defied Xie Lintian's prediction, as if it were destined from the very beginning to strike Xie Lintian's sword, hitting the weakest and most undefendable point in his divine Divine Ability!

This also made Xie Lintian truly give up, because Luo Nanwu really had control of the Pure Land!

"Clang-!!!"

Fist and sword collided without any fancy moves.

A deafening clang of metal clashing rang out, causing the entire hall to tremble violently.

The sword was instantly covered with spiderweb-like cracks. Xie Lintian's entire right arm's meridians were torn apart inch by inch by the impact of the enormous force, and his tiger's mouth was completely ripped open, with blood gushing out.

He was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the palace wall. He spat out a mouthful of blood, staining his white robes with blood, and his aura instantly weakened to the extreme.

The backlash from the [Seven-Aperture Spirit Rhinoceros Luminous Body] and the internal injuries from the fist force erupted simultaneously, causing his vision to go black and him to collapse to the ground, unable to even lift his hand.

"Approaching the Heavens!"

Exclamations of surprise rang out from the Xie Household members, who, disregarding their other opponents, quickly surrounded Xie Lintian.

Yu Tunzhou calmly turned around and, amidst the radiant glow of the Luo Household disciples as if they were seeing a god, strode out of the hall.

No one stopped them anymore.

Yu Tunzhou strode to the outside of the hall, where he was greeted by a vibrant and lively scene.

The mountain peak, once shrouded in dark clouds and with thunderous barriers, is now clear of clouds and mist, and they can now overlook most of the cave world from this spot.

"What's going on?" Luo Nanwen asked in disbelief.

The Luo Household disciples all froze on the spot, their mouths agape, staring in disbelief at what was happening before them.

Not long ago, they stepped into this cave, only to find it a desolate wasteland, devoid of any sign of life.

But now, before my eyes lies a vibrant scene of life, with flowers blooming in all their glory across the mountains and fields, and a waterfall cascading down from the mountaintop in the distance, its roar echoing through the air.

A place truly blessed with outstanding natural beauty and divine grace!

Yu Tunzhou took a deep breath, as if he could smell the scent of earth, the fragrance of flowers and grass, and a faint, almost imperceptible aura of thunder.

Just then, a thunderclap exploded.

The thunder was not as violent and fierce as the thunder that had previously struck the palace, carrying a destructive pressure. Instead, it carried a vibrant life force, like the first heartbeat heard at the beginning of creation.

The spring thunder awakens the insects, and all things begin to grow.

A sentence suddenly flowed into Yu Tunzhou's heart.

By observing the changes in thunder and lightning, one can silently comprehend the principles of the waxing and waning of Yin and Yang, and the mechanisms of life and death.

Outside the cave, the various powerful figures who had been in disarray gradually regained their loyalty due to the arrival of one person.

He was an old beggar, dressed in coarse linen clothes covered with patches, looking extremely ragged and shabby. His aura was almost that of an ordinary person, but when people saw him, their expressions changed drastically, some showing respect and others fear.

Xiao Ce's expression was solemn. He cupped his hands in a junior's greeting and said, "Sect Leader Su!"

The old beggar hummed in agreement, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the grotto the entire time, and slowly said:

--

"I was just passing through Northern Plains, thinking of taking a look at the Northern Dark Continent, but I didn't expect to find the aura of Great Sage of the Demon Race here, so I came to see if I could help. But now..."

He stood with his hands behind his back, clicking his tongue and saying, "Could this be the palace where the Human Emperor spent his autumn hunt back then? Yes, no wonder there was a lingering aura of a Great Sage of the Demon Race, which then disappeared at the end. The Human Emperor is indeed the Human Emperor."

Xiao Ce's expression changed in surprise: "You mean—"

The old beggar waved his hand and said, "If you have any questions, go home and ask your old man, don't ask Laozi."

Xiao Ce didn't ask any more questions, but simply cupped his hands in gratitude and said, "Sect Leader Su has the world in his heart and has come to lend his assistance. We will remember this forever!"

The other location External Scenery present also expressed their gratitude.

Before them stood the Dream Arhat, ranked seventh on the Heaven Ranking Beggar Sect, who possessed the "Tathagata Divine Palm" technique!

The old beggar ignored the crowd, glanced at the cave again, seemingly able to see what lay within, and sighed, "Great Sage of the Demon Race, indeed formidable—when will I encounter Laozi? Preferably one that has just returned from its slumber, its strength reduced to a hundred percent, and hasn't yet adapted to the laws of the world—let Laozi snag a bargain!"